


If Wishes Were Falling Stars

by KatieK101



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: DRAMMMA, Echomist is a sweetheart, F/M, Hailstep starts off as a jerk but he gets better!, Hurt/Comfort, One-Shot, Rainflower isn't evil just snarky, Romance, SO MUCH FLUFF, Shellheart is a Good Boy, Timberfur is clueless, but also some angst?, it's basically just a cloud
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:35:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23431786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KatieK101/pseuds/KatieK101
Summary: Before they were RiverClan's "it" couple, they were an arrogant warrior with high expectations on his shoulders, and an apprentice with a seemingly hopeless crush. Social standards dictate that they never should fall in love; fate and falling stars had other plans.
Relationships: Hailstar/Echomist, Shellheart/Rainflower, Timberfur/Ottersplash
Kudos: 20





	If Wishes Were Falling Stars

Hailstep really couldn't be blamed for what he did in the heat of an ambush.

They were in the process of remarking Sunningrocks when ThunderClan lept out, yowling about how the rocks were theirs and RiverClan had no claim to them. Honestly, Hailstep found the notion to be downright ridiculous. Perhaps Sunningrocks had belonged to them _in the past_ , but when StarClan altered the course of the river it was a clear gift to RiverClan.

When the tides were high, ThunderClan couldn't reach the rocks anyway. Unless they wanted to _swim,_ that is.

Anyway, those fish-brained warriors had launched an attack on their measly border patrol, determined to extract their revenge. Hailstep had actually be faring rather well - he always was a talented fighter - until _Echopaw_ stumbled into him.

What happened next was a bit of a blur. Hailstep remembered reeling on her, snapping at her ("Watch where you're going, fish-brain!"), and _maybe_ shoving her off of him… with his claws?

Oh well. It was her fault anyways; maybe this would inspire Echopaw to brush up on her skills. In that way, one could argue that Hailstep had actually _helped_ her!

Now that the thought had occurred to him, Hailstep resisted the urge to find her and say, "You're welcome".

**If Wishes Were Falling Stars**

Hailstep liked to believe that being the kit of such important figures made him just _a little bit_ more important than the average warrior.

Volestar and Nightpetal, the leader of SkyClan and his loyal companion. Hailstep always felt a burst of pride when he gazed upon his parents. They were obviously very respected within the Clan, and the other Clans had to respect them as well. They had the utmost power in RiverClan, and Volestar occupied the most important position one could desire.

So, yeah. He thought his parentage made him special.

His parents disagreed with him.

Hailstep had been minding his own business, lazily eating a trout and replaying yesterday's ambush in his mind. He'd wondered what he could have done to improve, but really, you couldn't improve on perfection. The only thing that could have possibly gone better was if _Echopaw_ hadn't of gotten in his way, but again, that wasn't his fault.

Then Volestar and Nightpetal had approached him. They informed him that he'd grown arrogant, ungrateful, and disrespectful. Hailstep had tried to protest but they barely gave him enough time to open his jaws before launching into another lecture.

Apparently, when he'd shoved Echopaw away during the ambush, he'd wounded her. He clawed her down her side, and that wound was worse than anything the ThunderClan warriors had given her. Hailstep tried to convince them that it wasn't _his fault_ Echomist stumbled into him, and he even tried the whole, "maybe this will inspire her to brush up on her fighting skills! I'm _helping_ her!" excuse, but that hadn't gone over well at all.

Volestar told him that this was exactly the kind of arrogant, disrespectful behavior they'd been speaking of.

Nightpetal nearly clawed his ears off.

Then his parents decided that he needed to be punished. In order to remind him of what really mattered (Clanmates over victories), Hailstep was going to be responsible for Echopaw until she was able to return to her warrior duties. That included bringing her fresh-kill, water, grooming her pelt and checking on her wounds, the list went on. To ensure that Hailstep didn't neglect his duties ( _as if!_ ) he was banned from patrolling, hunting, or partaking in battles. He would be allowed to leave camp and stretch his legs, but that was it.

Hailstep thought that his parents were overreacting. It was just a couple scratches, they would heal! And, _once again_ , it was Echopaw's fault that she'd stumbled into him! Why was he being punished for the she-cat's clumsiness?

Hailstep, in a fit of indigence, had asked his parents exactly that.

This time they _both_ nearly clawed his ears off.

**If Wishes Were Falling Stars**

"It's not my fault she got hurt so badly! She got in my way! Maybe if she actually knew how to fight she would be okay!"

"She's just an _apprentice_ , Hailstep!"

"I don't care how much you protest, you need to resolve this and learn some humility. You could be a fine cat, I've seen you at your best, but you need to just grow up."

"But I don't-"

"Enough! This is happening, whether you like it or not. I've talked it through with Milkfur already."

Hailstep groaned, loud and dramatic. But his parents were two of the most determined cats he knew, so he knew that this arrangement was final. There would be no changing their minds.

So the dark gray tom finally surrendered and shuffled into the Medicine Cat's den. Tanglewhisker laid in the corner of the den, recovering from a nasty cough, but Hailstep paid him no attention. He wasn't there to visit Tanglewhisker; he was there for Echopaw.

The fluffy, pale gray she-cat was curled up in a ball. Hailstep hoped that she was asleep and he could procrastinate his visit, but as soon as she scented him, Echopaw raised her head. An emotion kin to respect shone brightly in her blue eyes.

 _Well, isn't that cute?_ Hailstep wanted to sneer. But he figured his parents would call that kind of remark "disrespectful" so he kept it to himself, and instead meowed bluntly, "I have to take care of you until you're better."

Echopaw was clearly at a loss for words. She stared at him, then peered past him as if someone else stood behind him, just waiting to jump out and prank her. When she realized that he was completely serious, she asked, "why can't Milkfur take care of me? Or Bramblepaw?" she sounded nervous.

"Because my parents are forcing me to. For, you know, _that_ ," he explained dryly, and gestured to the wound on her shoulder. From where he was standing it looked… well, maybe he'd clawed her a bit harder than necessary, but he still didn't understand what all the fuss was about.

Echopaw blinked, looked down at the wound, and then seemed to shrink into herself. "It wasn't your fault," she muttered.

Hailstep snorted. " _Tell me about it._ But apparently I'm arrogant and disrespectful, and this is supposed to make me a better cat, or something like that. Anyway, the point is that I'm going to spend as much time outside of camp as possible, and if anyone asks you, I'm doing a brilliant job of caring for you. Got it?"

Echopaw swallowed and nodded.

"Good," Hailstep meowed briskly, and flicked his tail dismissively. "I'm glad we reached an understanding."

And with those sweet parting words, the gray tabby tom spun around and marched smartly out of the den. When his parents stopped him and asked how his apology went, he flashed them a charming smile and said "perfect".

**If Wishes Were Falling Stars**

Hailstep spent the next few days outside of camp, alone with just the fish he wasn't allowed to hunt, the rivers he wasn't allowed to swim in, and his thoughts.

Being on parole was incredibly boring. He missed being able to patrol borders and fish, or talk to his friends without feeling like his parents were constantly watching him. Once or twice Hailstep grew so bored that he actually attended to Echopaw, although that wasn't exactly thrilling. The quiet she-cat had taken their conversation to heart and never asked for a single thing. She would have rather starved than ask Hailstep to bring her a sparrow. She would have rather let her wound grow infected than ask him to clean it.

But if Echopaw starved to death or let her wound became infected, it would be obvious that Hailstep wasn't doing his job. So he would drop a fresh fish at her paws and demand she eat it, and once he insisted on cleaning her wound.

He should have cleaned it more often, but upon closer inspection Hailstep realized just how severe the wound truly was, and he didn't like the uncomfortable pebble that settled into the pit of his stomach.

**If Wishes Were Falling Stars**

He really should have cleaned her wound more often, because a few days into his punishment, Milkfur searched him out.

Apparently the dumb wound was infected. Apparently that was his fault.

Apparently Echopaw was incapable of cleaning her own wounds.

And yet, even as he thought these bitter thoughts, that pebble seemed to grow into a rock.

"Take better care of her," Milkfur commanded. "I won't tell Volestar or Nightpetal this time, but the next time you start neglecting her, I won't be so kind."

**If Wishes Were Falling Stars**

The next day Hailstep tended to Echopaw in silence. Occasionally he would ask her if she needed anything, and she would respond with a simple, "no, but thank you".

"Are you hungry?"

"No, but thank you."

"Are you thirsty?"

"No, but thank you."

"Do you want your pelt groomed?"

"No, but thank you."

"Would you like me to throw myself off this ledge for your entertainment?"

"No… but… thank you?"

"Are you positive?"

"... yes?"

"Alright, just checking."

**If Wishes Were Falling Stars**

"What about a fat, juicy trout?" Hailstep practically begged her a few days later. "Doesn't that sound delicious?"

"Yes,-" Hailstep was about to leap to his paws and yowl with joy, "-but no, thank you. I'm not hungry right now."

He released a loud, dramatic groan. "Echopaw you're _never_ hungry!"

The pale gray warrior looked uncomfortable. "I'm sorry," she started, but Hailstep interrupted her.

"No, don't be sorry!" he exclaimed. "I'm so, _so sick_ of you apologizing for everything! That's all you ever do, you apologize for _everything_!"

"I'm sorry-"

"Echopaw!"

"Right, sorry!"

" _Echopaw_!"

"I'm sor-" she clamped her jaws shut.

Hailstep groaned and slammed his head on his paws. "You're _killing_ me, Echopaw," he moaned.

"... I'm sorry."

**If Wishes Were Falling Stars**

Finally Hailstep reached his breaking point and snapped.

"That's it," he announced one day. "If you don't get interesting _real soon_ , I'm going to die of boredom." Echopaw opened her jaws to say something, but Hailstep was quick to threaten, "If you apologize for being boring, I'm going to toss you off of this ledge."

She quickly shut her jaws.

The dark gray tom sighed. "Look, just order me around or something, okay? Tell me to fetch you some wet moss, or to catch you a cob. Please, just give me something to do! _Anything_!"

Echopaw's blue eyes brightened, and he didn't know whether to be shocked or thrilled. "Anything?" she echoed, hesitantly.

The warrior nodded.

A few moments of tense silence ensured, and then Echopaw asked tentatively, "could we just… talk?"

Hailstep blinked, taken back. "Talk?" he echoed. "Like… you just want to have a conversation?"

The she-cat seemed to perk up a bit and nodded. Hailstep wasn't entirely sure where this was heading, but he was so desperate for something to do that he agreed. He laid down in front of his charge and asked, "So… what do you want to talk about?"

He expected Echopaw to meow, " _Whatever you want to talk about is fine with me"_ , but she surprised him yet again.

"What's your favorite season?"

"Uh," Hailstep answered intelligently. "Green-leaf, I guess. What about you?"

The pale gray she-cat didn't even hesitate. "New-leaf."

Awkward silence ensured.

"Well… what's your favorite kind of prey?" He asked, in an attempt to keep the conversation rolling.

"Carp," Echopaw answered. A wistful smile spread across her lips. "I can't wait until Milkfur tells me that I can fish again."

Hailstep cracked a grin. "Carp is good, but trout is the best. There's no better feeling than snagging one out of the river."

Slowly, the conversation became less tense and more comfortable. Soon Hailstep was able to forget that this was Echopaw he was talking to, and instead pretend it was Timberfur, Shellheart or Rainflower.

Actually, it was _almost_ even more comfortable than that. Hailstep couldn't remember a time that conversing had been so enjoyable, where he simply relished in the presence of another, and responses flowed like a lazy creek.

"What's something you've always wanted to see?" he asked, unaware of the grin upon his lips.

Echopaw didn't hesitate. "A falling star. Duskwater told me about them; it's when a StarClan warrior trips and falls from the Silverpelt, and they have to find their way back. If you're lucky enough to see one, then StarClan will bless you!"

They laid around the den and chattered like squirrels for the rest of the evening, each question easier than the last.

It was kinda nice.

**If Wishes Were Falling Stars**

As days passed Hailstep continued to grow more and more comfortable around Echopaw. At one time he considered her clumsy and boring, but as he got to know her, he found that he was wrong. Sure, she was quiet at first, but as she warmed up to him she continued to display shards of personality.

She was insanely sweet and thoughtful. She liked to help out as much as she could, and hated being a "waste of space". She didn't enjoy giving orders, but she would compromise and make the occasional "suggestion". Although Hailstep never really considered her funny, she actually _did_ have a sense of humor. She often made deadpan remarks that he found hilarious, because he would never expect _Echopaw_ of all cats to say such things.

And although she didn't initially condone gossip, Hailstep soon convinced her that there wasn't any harm in it, and whatever was said would stay between the two of them. After that, the RiverClan warrior discovered that while Echopaw was tended to fade into the background, she knew everything about everyone.

"You're joking," Hailstep gasped. " _Timberfur_ and _Ottersplash_?! But… but they argue all the time!"

The she-cat nodded. "I think they only argue so much because they don't want to admit their feelings for each other."

Hailstep shook his head. "Timberfur and Ottersplash… _wow_! I mean, Timberfur is my brother, he should have told me he liked her! Besides, Ottersplash is so demanding and rude!"

Echopaw was silent for a few heartbeats, and Hailstep feared that his slandering had caused her to withdraw from him. Then, suddenly, she wrinkled her nose and meowed, "One time she snapped at me for bumping into her, so I put a dead frog in her nest. She blamed Pikepaw for it and then shouted at him in front of the entire Clan."

The dark gray tom blinked, startled. "I… I remember that day! She told him that he was a pain in the tail, and he was lucky she didn't tell his mentor about it… that was _you_?!"

Echopaw's features had morphed into a solemn expression. "She snapped at me," came her defense.

Hailstep couldn't help it. He burst into a fit of laughter that only ended once he started to cough. When he finally looked up again his shoulders still shook, and Echopaw was staring at him as if he'd lost his mind.

"You know what, Echopaw," Hailstep started, once he regained his breath. "You're not so bad."

Echopaw's entire face lit up, and that special shine entered her gaze once again.

**If Wishes Were Falling Stars**

It was one quarter-moon since Hailstep's punishment began, although it didn't feel like such a punishment anymore. As a matter of fact, he rather enjoyed spending time with Echopaw. He wondered why it took so long for him to realize what fun she was.

They weren't terribly far apart in age. When he was first apprenticed she was only a few moons old. When he became a warrior, she was roughly seven moons old. They shared a den for a short amount of time, although Hailstep had always thought she was… _strange_.

It was just because she was so quiet. She had her own friends now, like Bramblepaw and Brightpaw, but when they shared a den she didn't seem to have anyone. Her only littermate, Stonekit, had died after he contracted white-cough. Actually, now that he thought about it, it was around that point when Echopaw (then Echokit) really seemed to quit interacting with others…

Hailstep, who'd been grooming his pelt, stilled.

Was that the reason Echopaw had become so shy? Because she'd lost her brother at such a young age? Hailstep racked his memories and tried to remember how close they'd been, but he couldn't recall. He never paid her much attention.

It didn't really matter how close they'd been, though. Hailstep had a littermate of his own, and if Timberfur died suddenly, he knew that his death would be a mess. His littermate - the cat he was _born beside_ \- would be gone forever. It was a hard realization to swallow right then, so he couldn't imagine what kind of pain _a kit_ must have felt…

She must've been so confused… so scared… so hurt…

That stone of guilt Hailstep had been carrying around in his chest hardened. _I should have been there for her. I-I should have comforted her, somehow…_

But what could he have done? He was an apprentice when Stonekit died, only a few moons into his apprenticeship. Echopaw had been a kit! A cat he'd only interacted with whenever he changed her bedding, or cleaned out the nursery.

 _Still,_ he thought, _I could have done something._

Later on, as he settled down for the night, he would wonder why it bothered him so much.

**If Wishes Were Falling Stars**

Hailstep had officially been caring for Echopaw for one moon.

One whole moon… it didn't feel like such a long time, looking back. The ambush with ThunderClan felt like it happened only a few days ago, and it seemed like just yesterday that he was so bored he wanted to drown himself. But he supposed he was right, because the friendship that blossomed between he and Echopaw couldn't have been created in only a few days.

Somehow, over the course of the last moon, they became best friends. Now, even though his parents didn't keep such a strict watch over him, he still brushed off his friends when they invited him to go fishing, or swimming.

Timberfur always watched him walk away with confusion in his amber eyes, and Shellheart and Rainflower always exchanged puzzled glances, but Hailstep couldn't be bothered with their questions and their stares. He simply had more important things to do than swim around all day.

That was exactly what he told Shellheart earlier that day, when his friend invited him to go fishing. "I'm busy," he called over his shoulder, without so much of a backwards glance.

To be fair, he did value his friendships and he didn't mean to come off as aloof; but they could go fishing together whenever they wanted! Tonight was special!

Tonight, it would be one whole moon since Hailstep began caring for Echopaw. And that called for a celebration.

**If Wishes Were Falling Stars**

" _Echopaw. Echopaw, wake up!_ " He gently prodded the pale gray she-cat with one of his paws. " _Come on, Echopaw!"_

The apprentice slowly blinked the sleep from her eyes and raised her head. "Hailstep?" she asked softly, sleepily. For a moment Hailstep regretted disturbing her, but he pushed his guilt to the side; it would be worth it. "What are you doing here? It must be moon-high right now!"

" _Shhh_ ," he whispered. " _I need you to follow me. I have something to show you."_

He expected to have to coax her a little more to leave her warm nest and follow him into the darkness, but Echopaw was surprisingly willing. She seemed to think his words over for just a heartbeat, and then she was climbing out of her nest. " _Be careful not to step on any tails,"_ he warned her, as he carefully stepped over Brightpaw's tail. " _I nearly tripped over Owlpaw's tail sneaking in here."_

Echopaw purred quietly as she followed his lead. "It wouldn't have mattered. Owlpaw sleeps like a rotted log!"

The pair tiptoed out of the den and into the camp. Silvery moonlight bathed the clearing, and the once bustling camp was now silent, save for his Clanmates' soft snores and the bubbling streams. Hailstep paused to admire it; RiverClan was truly breathtaking.

Echopaw halted beside him, and nudged his shoulder with her head. "So? What's so important that you had to wake me up at moon-high?" She didn't sound bitter at all; playful, if anything. "In case you've forgotten, this isn't ShadowClan."

Hailstep chuckled. "I don't think anyone could ever mistake _RiverClan for ShadowClan._ Come on, it's outside of the camp."

The dark gray warrior led the way, with Echopaw loyal at his shoulder. Occasionally their pelts would brush, but if either cat minded, they masked it well. "How does it feel to be back in the Apprentice Den?" he asked. Milkfur had given Echopaw the approval to return to her usual nest, now that her wounds were healed.

"Odd," she replied. "I missed sharing a den with everyone, of course. But I've spent so much time in the Medicine Cat Den that being back in my own nest is strange. And I miss Bramblepaw, too," she added, referencing her closest friend.

"At least you have Brightpaw, Pikepaw and Owlpaw again," Hailstep reminded her.

Echopaw shrugged agreeably, and the conversation lulled after that. Hailstep didn't mind the companionable silence; besides, they were almost to "the spot", anyway.

"Alright," he finally meowed, stopping. "Close your eyes."

"Oohh, _a surprise_ ," Echopaw purred, teasing. Hailstep smirked at her and flicked her impatiently with his tail. She rolled her blue eyes good-naturedly, and then squeezed them shut.

The warrior brushed his tail along her spine, leading her forward. She willingly obeyed him, eyes still shut, until he finally parted a reedbed and said, "okay… open!"

Echopaw opened her eyes, and then they widened. "I… don't understand." She looked to him, confused. "What is it?"

Hailstep expected her confusion, so when she seemed disappointed, he didn't fret. "Look, I carved out two places for us to lay on our backs and stargaze!"

His explanation didn't appear to solve all of her questions, but a soft smile played across her lips as she caught on. "We're stargazing?" she inquired, as she pressed past him and settled onto her back. He joined her in the second spot. "It's a sweet gesture, but why?"

 _Sweet?_ Hailstep echoed. _She thinks I'm being sweet?_ Well that wasn't his intentional goal, but oh well; she-cats ate up all that sweet, sappy behavior. Besides, they were best friends now! Friends were sweet to each other all the time. Why, just the other day he watched Shellheart pull a thorn out of Rainflower's paw, and _they_ were just friends.

Echopaw cleared her throat; a reminder that he still needed to answer her question.

"Right," Hailstep meowed. "Sorry. Do you remember when we first started talking, and we asked each other a bunch of random questions?" She nodded. "I asked you what was something you've always wanted to see, and you said-"

"A falling star," Echopaw finished. Her soft smile stretched into something more enthusiastic. "You brought me out here to find a falling star?"

" _Mhmm_ ," Hailstep hummed, obviously smug with himself. "I can't promise we'll see one - I talked to Milkfur about it and she said they're very rare - but I thought it was worth a shot."

Echopaw turned to smile at him, and suddenly Hailstep began to notice little details about her; she had a cute nose and dainty paws; her smiles always seemed to sparkle and her laughs were infectious; and the moonlight captured her slender figure, teased those curves, and cast a soft glow upon her, turning her pale gray fur to glittering silver.

"You look like a StarClan warrior," he breathed, without thinking, without warning.

Echopaw rolled a little closer to him; just so that their pelts touched. Hailstep found himself wishing that she would roll even closer, and lay her head on his chest. "Thank you for tonight," she whispered. "This is wonderful, Hailstep."

He thought he should respond, but when Echopaw leaned forward and licked his cheek, the words seemed to melt on his tongue.

**If Wishes Were Falling Stars**

The rest of the night was spent in silence, only broken when one of them thought they saw a falling star. Hailstep swore he had lots of topics to talk about heading into the night, but as the night wore on, he couldn't recall a single one.

That is, until they were walking back to camp. "I hope you're not disappointed you didn't see a falling star," the dark gray tom meowed.

Echopaw shook her head. "Of course I'm not! Falling stars are a rare sight, anyway. I had fun just searching for them with you. Although," she added, as she fixed him with a sidelong glance, "you never told me _why_ you brought me out. I don't suppose you had something important to tell me?" She sounded hopeful.

"Oh!" Hailstep exclaimed, stopping in his tracks. "I can't believe I forgot to tell you! It's officially been one whole moon since I started caring for you, and today Milkfur told me that you're in the clear!"

Echopaw's expression seemed to freeze on her face. " _Meaning_ …" she drawled out.

He grinned, as he announced, "I don't have to take care of you anymore! Milkfur said you can return to training, now!" When Echopaw simply stared at him with that smile frozen on her lips, Hailstep blinked, caught off guard. Why wasn't she more excited? She could finally have her old life back and start training again! "Uh, Echopaw-?"

"That's great!" she exclaimed with force cheer. "I just- I guess I'm just nervous about returning to training, that's all. I mean, I've been out of practice for a whole moon now!"

"Oh," the dark gray tom meowed, relaxing. "If you're nervous about training, then don't be. When I told Duskwater you were ready to start again, she was sure you would be caught up in no time! Besides, your warrior assessment is only a couple moons away, isn't it?"

Echopaw nodded. "Two moons, I think."

"Then you don't have much to learn, anyway," he meowed briskly. "The mentors are just going to help you perfect everything you already know. But," he added, "if you want some extra training to get caught up, I can help you."

Finally, Echopaw's frozen smile melted into something genuine. "Really? You would do that for me?"

"Of course I would!" Hailstep exclaimed, momentarily forgetting that the rest of RiverClan was sound asleep. He lowered his voice and continued. "If you ever need the help, just let me know."

Echopaw purred. "Okay, I will." She stopped outside the Apprentice Den, and Hailstep realized with a jolt that they were back in camp. _When did that happen?_ Huh, he must not have been paying attention. _That's unlike me… I'm always alert. Maybe I'm more tired than I thought._

"Thanks again for tonight," the pale gray she-cat meowed, staring shyly at her paws. "I really did have fun."

"No problem," he replied. "Maybe next time we'll actually see a falling star."

Her head shot up, and Hailstep was caught off guard by the smile that warmed her lips. He didn't know Echopaw could smile like _that;_ so warm and pretty. "Next time?" she echoed softly.

He grinned. "Of course there's going to be a next time. You're my best friend, Echopaw." He nudged her shoulder fondly and added, "fish-brain."

He expected some sort of retort, maybe for her to cuff his ears, but it seemed like exhaustion was settling in for her too. Instead, Echopaw purred and licked his cheek. "Goodnight, Hailstep," she whispered. Then she turned around and disappeared into the shadowy den.

"Goodnight, Echopaw," he whispered after her.

**If Wishes Were Falling Stars**

The next few days skipped by in a blissful blur.

Echopaw returned to her warrior training, and every evening when the rest of the Clan was sharing tongues, they would leave camp by themselves and continue to train. Frankly, Hailstep didn't understand why Echopaw was so nervous; she was a natural! Swimming came to her as easily as breathing, and she was a talented hunter. Her battle moves could use some practice, but then again, that was how they ended up together in the first place. So they spent the evenings focusing on her moves, but she was a rapid learner, and soon enough she could hold her own against him.

Well… _sorta_ against him. Hailstep always held back just a bit; she asked him not to, but whenever he went to let loose, he always caught a glimpse of the scar on her shoulder. So he only ever went hard enough to give her a challenge, but never more than that.

Anyway, they spent their evenings training and their nights stargazing, searching the Silverpelt for the elusive falling star.

"Are you _sure_ falling stars exist?" he would always ask her, when he grew frustrated.

But Echopaw would always nod, determined. "Duskwater said they're a rare sight, but if you see one, then StarClan will bless you."

"Well maybe StarClan hates us, and that's why they won't let us see one."

" _Hush_."

In the mornings Hailstep would hunt and patrol, and while he relished the return to his warrior duties, his thoughts always drifted towards Echopaw, someway somehow. He wondered what she was doing, how she was faring. He would get so lost in these thoughts that whenever one of his friends asked him a question, he wouldn't even hear it.

" _Hailstep_ ," Timberfur meowed one morning, exasperated. "Great StarClan, do you have fluff in your ears?!"

"Or," Rainflower chimed in, "maybe he has _love_ on his mind."

"Love?" Timberfur repeated, doubtful. "Who would he be in love with?"

Rainflower rolled her green eyes and mumbled " _toms!"_ underneath her breath, then she gestured to Hailstep's distracted gaze. Timberfur followed his gaze, surprised when it came to rest on Echopaw. "Echopaw? But they're just friends!"

The gray she-cat scoffed. "Oh, _please_. They're about as "friendly" as you and Ottersplash!"

A strangled sound escaped Timberfur's throat. "We _are_ just friends!" he hissed.

" _Sureee you are_. Fine, then they're about as friendly as me and Shellheart."

"But you and Shellheart _are_ just friends!" The dark brown warrior shook his head. "Great StarClan Rainflower, for someone who's such a gossip, you really don't know what's going on in the Clan."

"Huh?" Hailstep muttered, his gaze still focused on Echopaw. "Did you guys say something?"

" _Ugh_!" Rainflower exclaimed, as she stormed away from her friends. " _Toms_!"

Hailstep blinked, and exchanged confused glances with his brother. "What's she so fussy about?"

Timberfur shrugged. "No idea."

**If Wishes Were Falling Stars**

Hailstep was young, handsome, skilled, and the son of RiverClan's two most respected warriors. It was only a matter of time until the local she-cats tried to make a move on him.

"Hey Hailstep," Lilystem called across the camp, "do you want to go fishing together?"

"Can't, I already made plans to go fishing with Echopaw."

"Hailstep!" Fallowpaw exclaimed, as she bounced towards him. "Can you help me practice my hunter's crouch?"

"Sorry, I promised I would practice with Echopaw today."

Shimmerpelt was RiverClan's newest warrior, and what with her glossy night-black pelt and her wide green eyes, she already had amassed quite the fanbase. As a matter of fact, before he was forced to look after Echopaw, Hailstep was her number one fan. But he didn't think of the striking she-cat much these days.

"Hello, Hailstep," Shimmerpelt meowed, her voice silky soft as she padded up to the tom. "It's such a beautiful morning, I was wondering if you would like to-"

"Busy," Hailstep interrupted her, already brushing past her on his way towards Echopaw.

"Oh," Shimmerpelt started, bewildered when he didn't give her a second glance. "Um, okay, maybe later-" but Hailstep was already padding out of camp with Echopaw.

Timberfur, who watched the entire exchange with Ottersplash, dropped his jaw. "D-Did you _see that_?" He demanded.

"Mhm," Ottersplash replied, unconcerned. "What about it?"

"He didn't even _glance_ at Shimmerpelt!" The brown tabby tom exclaimed.

"And… _why_ is that strange?"

"Because she's _Shimmerpelt_!" he cried.

"So?"

"She's the most gorgeous she-cat in all of RiverClan!"

 _That_ caught Ottersplash's attention. "Oh?" she hummed, her head snapping up to glare at the tom. "She is, is she?"

Timberfur didn't realize he made a mistake until it was too late. "U-uh, I mean, that's just what I've heard around camp, y'know? I never really noticed."

Ottersplash narrowed her amber eyes.

Timberfur chuckled nervously, and in a feeble attempt to change the subject, he meowed, "Hey, did you know Rainflower thinks we're more than just friends? Weird, right?"

" _Ugh!_ " Ottersplash growled, as she stood to her paws and stormed away. " _Toms!_ "

**If Wishes Were Falling Stars**

"What exactly does a falling star look like?"

"Oh, you know. It's like a green explosion in the sky and the little specks that fall to the ground grow into reedbeds."

Hailstep cranked his neck to the side, so he could stare at her in disbelief. " _What_?"

"Kidding," Echopaw grinned and shrugged. "No idea. I've never seen one, obviously."

" _Obviously_ ," Hailstep mimicked her. His companion cuffed him over the ear, and he grinned. "So then what if we've already seen a hundred falling stars, and we just didn't know it?"

"No, we would know it when we saw it."

Hailstep stretched out across the soft grass, enjoying the way his muscles tugged and rippled across his pelt, completely oblivious to Echopaw's stare. "So," he started, conversationally. "Apparently Ottersplash is furious with Timberfur. I asked him about it, but he swears he doesn't know why."

The pale gray she-cat raised a brow. "He's _your_ littermate," she pointed out. "Do you really think I know more about it than you do?"

Hailstep rolled his head back to fix her with a knowing stare.

"I mean, you're not wrong," she shrugged, unable to cover-up her grin. "Brightpaw told me that that Rainflower told her that Ottersplash said, Timberfur called Shimmerpelt the most 'gorgeous she-cat in RiverClan', and then said something fish-brained about being 'just friends'."

"Ah," Hailstep nodded. "Timberfur always has been loose-lipped. I wonder if he knows that the entire Clan suspects he and Ottersplash are a thing?"

Echopaw laughed. "Don't pretend like it's so obvious; you didn't even know until I told you!"

Hailstep stuck his tongue out at her, and she copied the action. "So then, my personal private eye, I don't suppose you know why Pikepaw has been glaring at me all day?"

"Oh, that's an easy one. He overheard Shimmerpelt ask to spend time with you, and he has the biggest crush on Shimmerpelt ever."

The dark gray tom wrinkled his nose. " _Really_?"

Echopaw nodded. "Mhm. He's been padding after her ever since he could _walk_. Did you not notice when we were all apprentices together?"

The warrior shrugged. "Not really. I was always so busy with Timberfur, Shellheart and Rainflower. We were probably off pranking Tanglewhisker and Sandbird, or something."

She hummed agreeably. "True. You were always such a terror; wherever did your parents go wrong?"

" _Hey_!"

"I'm just being honest!" Echopaw laughed. "Lightningcloud always complained about how you could be the next Clan leader if only you weren't so fish-brained."

"Lightningcloud is the strictest warrior in RiverClan!" he huffed. "If I so much as _breathed weird_ , he scolded me."

"He was a good mentor though, wasn't he? I mean, I think you turned out okay."

Hailstep nodded. "I guess so. I definitely like him a lot more now that I'm not his apprentice."

Their conversation lulled into silence, as both cats focused on searching the Silverpelt. Hailstep really couldn't believe that they hadn't seen a single falling star; the Silverpelt was full of stars! One of the StarClan warriors had to trip and fall eventually, didn't they?

Eventually, Echopaw broke the silence. "Do you think she's gorgeous?"

Hailstep cranked his neck to look at her. "Who?"

She refused to meet his gaze; instead she was focused intently on the Silverpelt above. "Shimmerpelt."

"Oh." Hailstep thought about it for a few moments. A moon ago he thought she was the most gorgeous she-cat to ever grace RiverClan, but now… he wasn't sure what, when or how, but something had changed. "No. I used to, but not anymore."

"What changed?"

He shrugged. "I'm not sure. I guess she just looks… plain? Boring, really. Her pelt is black and her eyes are green." He shrugged again. "Pikepaw is more than welcomed to her, though to be honest, I don't think he has much of a chance what with his snaggle tooth and all."

Echopaw cracked a grin. "Be nice. Pikepaw has a lot going for him!"

Hailstep looked at her again, and now she met his gaze. "Do _you_ think he's attractive?"

Echopaw gagged.

They both laughed, and he felt himself relax into the soft grass. "Shimmerpelt is nice enough, but she's nothing special. You're prettier than she is," he meowed casually.

He didn't sense Echopaw stiffen. "You think so?" she whispered.

Hailstep nodded, nonchalant. "Mhm. Whereas Shimmerpelt is just a black she-cat, your gray pelt is tipped with white, like the morning mist is clinging to you. And your fur always looks so healthy and glossy, and your eyes are the color of the sky in green-leaf, and you have dainty paws and a cute nose and-" _Huh_. He never noticed it before, but now that words were spilling from his mouth, he realized that- "You're kinda breathtaking, really."

Echopaw was silent for a long while after that. Hailstep wondered if he'd offended her somehow, if maybe being called 'misty' was an insult, but eventually she whispered, "thank you."

He grinned, relieved that she wasn't offended. "No problem, _Misty_!" he chirped.

They didn't talk for the rest of the night, but happiness and warmth seemed to radiate from "Misty" in waves.

**If Wishes Were Falling Stars**

With Echopaw's warrior assessment only a few days away, they spent every waking moment together, training and going over strategies.

"I'll never be able to remember everything!" she would groan.

"You'll do great," he would reassure her, and he truly meant it. "If you don't outshine every other apprentice, I'll be shocked."

"No pressure," she would mutter.

Hailstep would nudge her shoulder. "Hey, don't worry about it. I'll come see you the morning of your assessment and wish you luck, okay?"

That would always soothe her. "Okay," she would agree softly, with a smile that seemed to warm him from the inside out. Then they would continue to train.

That's where he was heading when Timberfur stopped him on his way out of camp. "Why didn't you tell me?" he demanded, although he didn't seem angry; as a matter of fact, he almost looked _excited_.

"Uh," Hailstep answered intelligently. "Tell you _what_?"

"About you and Echopaw!" Timberfur exclaimed, grinning like a fish-brain. "I had no idea until Rainflower told me!"

"Congratulations!" Shellheart chimed in, as he and Rainflower joined them. "At least now we know why we never see you anymore."

Rainflower nodded. "Echopaw is pretty and smart, so I'll give you my approve," she teased him.

Hailstep looked from Timberfur, to Shellheart, to Rainflower, completely and utterly confused. "Is this supposed to be a joke? _What are you guys talking about_?"

" _Obvi-ously_ ," Timberfur drawled, "we're talking about the fact that you're going to ask Echopaw to be your mate once she becomes a warrior!"

Hailstep's amber eyes widened. " _Excuse me_?" He shook his head. "I never said that! Rainflower- who told you that?!"

The gray tabby she-cat blinked, caught off guard. " _Echopaw_ told me that. Well, sorta." She frowned. "Hold on, so you're _not_ madly in love with Echopaw?"

"Of course I'm not!" he spat.

"Then why do you spend so much time with her?" Shellheart asked, confused.

Hailstep hesitated. "We don't spend _that much_ time together. I just train with her, and-"

"And you took care of her for a moon," Timberfur interrupted him.

"That's because Volestar and Nightpetal _forced me_ -"

"And you go swimming together," Shellheart added.

"You lay on Sunningrocks together," Rainflower pointed out. She narrowed her eyes, like she thought he was _lying_ to them. "Hailstep, _are you sure-"_

If there was one thing Hailstep couldn't stand it was to be called a liar. He was a lot of things, and maybe he wasn't as perfect as he thought he was, but he _wasn't_ a liar. So when he friends treated him like such, when they all stared at him in disbelief, when they wouldn't just _drop the subject_ , he snapped.

" _I don't have feelings for Echopaw_!" he snarled, loud and clear.

Everything seemed to slow down after that. Just moments before his outburst, the camp was full of life and chatter. Now everyone had stopped what they were doing to turn and stare at them, eyes wide.

Red hot humiliation burned beneath his pelt. "What?" he growled. "Did _everyone_ think we were in love?" he shook his head. "I don't know what lies Echopaw has been spreading around, but let me make one thing clear: I am _not_ in love with her, and I will _never_ ask her to be my mate. _That's it_! That's-"

" _Hailstep_ ," Timberfur breathed.

The dark gray tom glared at his littermate. "What?" he snapped. Except, Timberfur wasn't staring at him. As a matter of fact, _none of his Clanmates_ were staring at him. They were all staring at something - or someone else.

Hailstep turned around and- _Oh, StarClan._

Echopaw was frozen in place, her blue eyes wide and glassy with unspilled tears. She was the only cat staring at him, and her gaze cut through him.

Hailstep swallowed and took a step towards her. "Echopaw-"

She spun around and run out of the camp.

**If Wishes Were Falling Stars**

Hailstep raced after her, pumping his legs as fast as they would go. Echopaw had a head start on him, but he knew a short cut. He weaved between reedbeds and ducked underneath a long branch, and suddenly he was right in front of her.

Echopaw screeched as she slammed her paws into the sand and nearly avoiding crashing into him. When she looked up at him, her eyes were full of hurt. " _What_?" she spat. "Have you come to hulimiate me some more?"

Hailstep's eyes widened. "Wait a moment, you're angry _at me_?" He'd followed her out here to apologize for everything she overheard, but the fact that she glared at him with such hurt made his blood start to boil. "You're the one who told everyone that we were in love, and that I was going to ask you to be my mate! Echopaw, I never told you any of that!"

"I didn't tell anyone that, either!" she protested.

" _Sureee_ ," Hailstep scoffed. "Then why did my friends corner me and interrogate me about it?"

Anger flared in her eyes, despite the tears that were now streaming down her face. "You think I'm lying?" she demanded.

"Well everyone else thinks that I am!" he retorted.

She shook her head. "I never told anyone that stuff," she said again.

"Then what _did_ you say?"

She refused to meet his gaze. "Don't worry about it," she muttered.

"Echopaw!" he pressed.

She suddenly shoved past him and tried to storm away. "I said, don't worry-"

" _Echopaw_!" he growled.

She spun around, and the fire that burned in her pretty blue eyes was unlike anything he'd ever seen. "I told them that _I_ loved _you_ , you arrogant fish-brain!" she snarled. "I told them that _I loved you_ , and that _I_ planned on telling _you_ that after my assessment, and that I _hoped_ you would ask me to be your mate!"

Hailstep didn't know how to respond. He wanted to be angry with her still, he wanted to snarl right back at her, but as everything she said sunk in, his anger began to ebb away. "Really?" he challenged, clinging onto what anger he could muster. "If you didn't tell everyone that, then how did they all know?"

Echopaw huffed. "Because I told _Bramblepaw_ and _Brightpaw_. They're my best friends! We gossip about _everything_ together! They've known about my crush on you ever since I was a new apprentice!" She shook her head. "If anyone else knows, it's because they overheard us talking."

"Wait a moment," Hailstep meowed, dumbfounded. "You've liked me for _moons_? Like, since _before_ the ThunderClan ambush?"

The pale gray she-cat glared at him. "Of course I have! Why do you think I never talked to you or your friends when you were apprentices? I would try to, but I could never get my words out, or you would just stare at me like I was a fish-brain! And why do you think I asked Volestar and Nightpetal not to punish you when you attacked me?"

He huffed. "Well, thanks for that, but they still punished me anyway." Because it was so much easier to focus on that little statement than address everything else.

Echopaw laughed dryly. "You are _so ungrateful_ , Hailstep! At least they didn't force you to become an apprentice again!"

The dark gray tom frowned. "They would never go that far. That's ridiculous!"

Finally, something other than anger and hurt filled those bright blue eyes; Echopaw stared at him with realization. "They never told you, did they?"

He didn't like the way she stared at him. "They never told me _what_?" he demanded.

Echopaw shook her head, as if she couldn't believe it. "When I first got hurt, Volestar and Nightpetal came to me and said that they would make sure you paid for your actions. They were disgusted their own son could hurt a Clanmate, and when I asked them what they were going to do, Volestar said that you would be forced to spend the next moon as an apprentice again, because clearly you weren't ready to be a warrior."

_No. No, she's lying, my parents would never-_

"I begged them not to do that to you, and told them that everything was my fault. I thought I talked them out of punishing you at all, but," she shrugged, refusing to look me in the eye. "I guess not."

Hailstep didn't know what to say. He opened his mouth to call her a liar, but everything she said was genuine. He wanted to tell her that this whole mess was her fault, but that was a lie too. He wanted to say something, _anything_ to justify all of the anger and disbelief and betrayal but-

But Hailstep wasn't a liar, and there was nothing he could say.

Echopaw stared at her paws, as tears continued to roll freely down her face. "I can't believe I was such a fish-brain," she whispered. "I should have believed Owlpaw when he told me that you would never love me. I never should have agreed to let you take care of me, and I never should have listened to my friends when they thought you had feelings for me, and I-" she stumbled over a sob, "I never should have told you about dumb _falling stars_!"

She spun around abruptly and raced deeper across the territory, kicking up pawfuls of sand in her wake. And this time, Hailstep didn't try to follow her.

**If Wishes Were Falling Stars**

After Hailstep's outburst and Echopaw's declaration, the following days seemed to inch by. How many days had it been since he talked to the she-cat? _Five?_ Hailstep didn't know it was possible for five days to stretch into an eternity.

He also never realized just how much could change in five days.

Timberfur, Shellheart and Rainflower decided to give him space, so his kithood friends often went swimming and hunting without so much as an invitation.

Volestar and Nightpetal gave him a stern lecture about his behavior (" _Oh Hailstep, you seemed to be making so much progress!"_ ) but it rapidly escalated into an argument once he mentioned their original punishment (" _You wanted you to revoke my warriorship? How could you?!")._

Now whenever he turned around his parents seemed to always be watching him, eyes clouded with disappointment.

Echopaw refused to even glance his way; as a matter of fact, she seemed to have truly forgotten all about him! She would walk past him with her chin lifted high; every time he walked into camp she was always sharing tongues or eating a meal with one of her friends; yesterday they had been assigned to the same border patrol, and she made a point to walk silently behind him.

Meanwhile, _her_ friends seemed to be making up for her silence. Bramblepaw would fetch Milkfur whenever he needed something from the Medicine Cat Den rather than help him herself; Brightpaw was stuck to Echopaw's side so that she would have no reason to speak to him; and Owlpaw glared at him the entire time he was in camp.

Owlpaw's hostility confused him at first, until he realized that it was the exact same way that Pikepaw glared at him whenever he spoke to Shimmerpelt. The realization left a bitter taste in his mouth.

 _Get over it,_ Hailstep told himself. _This is just how life is going to be now. Besides, who needs Echopaw? She's just one she-cat, even if she is intelligent and thoughtful and loyal and gorgeous and-_

He stood abruptly to his paws and left to find Shimmerpelt.

**If Wishes Were Falling Stars**

The next few days were spent with Shimmerpelt, and _only_ Shimmerpelt.

His friends were still unsure how to treat the situation, so they left him alone; his parents were still disappointed in him so they watched him from afar; Echopaw was still giving him the cold shoulder, and her friends were still loyally backing her up.

At least Shimmerpelt would talk to him.

"You don't like me, do you?"

Maybe talking was overrated. Maybe he should be grateful for silence after all.

Hailstep knew what she was asking, but he played dumb. "What do you mean? Of course I like you, Shimmerpelt!" She was nice enough, smart enough, pretty enough. She was _enough._ What wasn't there to like?

But the night-pelted she-cat shook her head. "That's not what I mean. We're friends, but… you don't like me the same way I like you."

"Oh." Hailstep felt his insides twist with guilt, and he briefly wondered what was wrong with him. "No, I guess I don't."

He half-expected Shimmerpelt to hate him for rejecting her, but instead she mustered a smile and meowed, "don't feel too bad. I didn't really think you did, anyway; we all saw the way you padded after Echopaw."

The fur along his spine bristled with indignation. "I did _not-_ "

"Hailstep, you're not fooling anyone," Shimmerpelt interrupted him. "I don't know why you're so deep in denial, but even _Timberfur_ could see how you feel about Echopaw."

The warrior scoffed and stared begrudgingly at his paws. When he didn't have a stinging retort prepared, Shimmerpelt pressed him. "There's no need to be offended, Hailstep; Echopaw is a lovely she-cat! I don't know a single warrior who doesn't like her. As a matter of fact, I would go so far to say that whoever she chooses as her mate is going to be one lucky tom."

Hailstep shrugged, frustrated. "Even if I did have feelings for her, it doesn't matter anyway. After my outburst in camp we had a fight, and I don't think she plans on forgiving me anytime soon."

"Well, have you tried apologizing to her?"

"..."

" _Hailstep_ ," she scolded him.

"How am I supposed to apologize to her when she wants nothing to do with me?" he demanded.

"Just _try_ ," Shimmerpelt pressed him. "You never know! Maybe an apology is exactly what Echopaw is waiting for."

Hailstep didn't respond right away. He let his gaze drift, let his thoughts wander, and crafted half-hearted excuses that weren't even worth voicing. "I'll think about it," he finally meowed.

"Good," his companion nodded, seemingly satisfied. "Great StarClan, I don't know why toms are so complicated. If I had a tom prace after me the same way that Echopaw praced after you, I wouldn't hesitate to court them!"

Suddenly, he had an idea. "Wait, really?" The image of a dark brown apprentice with a snaggletooth entered his mind. "Then I think I have some good news for you."

**If Wishes Were Falling Stars**

"Wow," Rainflower faltered, stunned. "I mean… _wow_."

"I can't believe it," Shellheart breathed.

Timberfur wisely kept his jaws shut, still stung from the tongue-lashing Ottersplash gave him.

Hailstep smirked. "Am I skilled, or am I skilled?"

"How did you manage to make _that_ happen?" Shellheart asked, gesturing towards the fresh-kill pile where Shimmerpelt and Pikepaw were happily sharing tongues, purring loud enough to wake every warrior in camp.

Hailstep shrugged smugly, not bothering to act humble. "Oh, you know. I have my ways."

"Could you use those ways to soothe Ottersplash?" Timberfur requested, sourly. "She still won't talk to me."

"Well, I wouldn't talk to my mate either if he thought someone else was prettier than me!" Rainflower declared, shooting Shellheart a pointed look.

"I didn't know we were mates!" Timberfur cried.

"How did you _not_ know you were mates?" Rainflower demanded.

The group of warriors went back-and-forth for a while, picking on Timberfur for his obliviousness and laughing at his feeble protests. Hailstep did feel sympathy for his littermate (after all he knew exactly what happened when toms said the wrong things to pretty she-cats), but he relished in the framailiarty of their bickering. It was good to be back with his friends.

 _Of course,_ he reminded himself, as a certain she-cat caught his eye, _not everything is back to normal._ He sighed longingly as Echopaw practiced battle moves with Brightpaw. Her warrior assessment would be held any day now, he realized.

As Rainflower and Timberfur continued to bicker, Shellheart sat next to him. "Have you apologized to her yet?" he asked quietly.

Hailstep shook his head. "No. I want to apologize to her, honestly, but… I don't deserve her forgiveness. After everything I said about her that day, and the way I treated her… I wouldn't blame her if she hated my guts forever."

"Come on Hailstep, you know Echopaw isn't like that," Shellheart pressed. "I'm sure she feels just as miserable as you do."

"I'm not miser-" he stopped when Shellheart fixed him with a stern look. "Fine, I'm miserable."

His friend nodded towards Echopaw. "Then go win her back."

He hesitated, then slowly stood to his paws. "I hope you're right," he murmured, before he made his way towards the two she-cats.

**If Wishes Were Falling Stars**

Echopaw froze mid-swipe; as soon as she noticed him. Brightpaw turned around to see what distracted her friend, and her eyes narrowed when they landed on him. "Can we help you?" she asked, making it very clear what she thought about _him_.

Hailstep resisted the urge to lecture her about how apprentices were supposed to respect warriors (even if said warriors broke the hearts of said apprentices). Instead he mustered the diplomatic smile he could and meowed, "I just need to talk to Echopaw-"

"We're busy," Brightpaw interrupted him. "Talk to her once she's a warrior."

He blinked, then looked to Echopaw for an explanation. She sighed loudly and refused to meet his gaze, but finally she explained, "We're about to take our warrior assessments."

Suddenly Hailstep's smile lengthened into something much more genuine. "That's fantastic!" he exclaimed, catching both she-cats off guard. Echopaw raised her gaze to meet his. "Are you nervous? Don't be, we practiced your battle moves a thousand times and you're a natural swimmer. You'll do amazing! You'll-"

"Echopaw, Brightpaw!" a voice called. Hailstep looked past them and spotted their mentors and Pikepaw by the camp entrance. "Come on! It's time."

Brightpaw's ears perked forward and she grinned at her friend. "We don't want to keep them waiting; let's go!" The white-and-ginger she-cat raced towards their group. Echopaw made to follow her but Hailstep blocked her path before she could.

Echopaw frowned at him. "I have to-"

"Good luck," Hailstep interrupted her. "I… I told you that on the day of your assessment I would be here to wish you luck."

He wished she would have smiled at him; nudged his shoulder, licked his cheek, _something_. Instead she stared at him for a moment, then nodded brisky and jogged past him. Hailstep watched her join her group, then pad out of camp without so much as a backwards glance.

The RiverClan tom blew out a breath just as Shellheart joined him. "Well," Shellheart began, ever the optimist, "that could have gone worse."

"It could have gone a lot better, too."

"Kitten-steps," Shellheart meowed lightly. "You hurt Echopaw, Hailstep. But as long as you continue to show her that you're remorseful, she'll come around."

Hailstep couldn't pull his gaze away from the camp entrance; a sense of defeat made his heart feel twice as heavy. "But for _how long_?" he asked, trying desperately not to sound like he was whining. "I know I messed up, but I want her! I want to go swimming together, I want to share a nest at night, I want to look for falling stars at twilight-"

"Falling stars?" Shellheart interrupted him, curious.

"Yeah," the tom sighed. "It's when a StarClan warrior falls from the Silverpelt, and they have to find their way back. Echopaw and I used to stargaze together and search for them." Then, suddenly, inspiration struck like lightning. "Wait a moment, that's it! That's how I'll win Echopaw back!"

"By acting out a queen's story?" His friend asked skeptically.

"Exactly!" Hailstep exclaimed. "It's perfect, it's- oh, StarClan, I don't have much time to prepare! I have to get started right now!" He tore across the camp, kicking up pebbles in his wake. "Thanks, Shellheart!" he called over his shoulder.

Shellheart was too confused to respond, but it wouldn't matter anyway; Hailstar had disappeared into the tall grass. _Well,_ he thought. _At least he isn't sulking anymore._

**If Wishes Were Falling Stars**

This was either the most brilliant idea Hailstep ever had, or the lamest.

As he examined his work he couldn't help but feel a surge of pride. It had taken him all day to gather his materials and put them in place, and the result was pleasing.

In the exact same spot that he and Echopaw had stargazed all that time ago, he flattened the tall grass into a comfy layer and then crafted two new nests, side by side. They would have a perfect view of the Silverpelt.

The nests were the most time consuming; he weaved shiny pebbles and flower petals into outside, and lined the inside with the softest moss he could find. Considering he used to talk someone else into making his own nests, he thought he did a good job.

 _It doesn't matter what I think, though,_ Hailstep reminded himself. _If Echopaw doesn't like it, then nothing will win her back._ The thought made his insides churn.

The warrior glanced at the sky. The sun would begin to set soon. Surely the apprentices were finished with their assessments by now? If so, their ceremonies would be held soon. _Time to start back to camp._

After all, there was one more thing Hailstep had to do.

**If Wishes Were Falling Stars**

Volestar looked caught off guard by his request. "You know what you're asking isn't tradition, don't you?"

"Cats have requested specific warrior names before!" Hailstep protested.

"Under rare circumstances, yes, but only by their kin or mentors," Volestar meowed. He eyed his son curiously. "Does this name carry some sort of special meaning?"

 _If I hadn't hurt her, it would._ Hailstep thought. _And if she forgives me, it will. But what if she doesn't forgive me? What if her warrior name is a reminder of the tom who broke her heart?_

"Hailstep?" Volestar pressed.

" _I_ think it carries special meaning," Hailstep carefully replied. "And Echopaw will… understand."

His father didn't look convinced. "I'll think about it," he meowed.

Hailstep supposed that was the most he was going to get. He dipped his head respectfully, then turned around and padded out of the den. He only paused when his father called after him, and he twisted his head around. "Yes?" Hailstep asked.

Volestar was not an emotional cat, but Hailstep thought he saw a glimmer in his father's eyes. "Your mother and I love you. And everything we've ever done to you, we've done _for you_. Do you understand that yet?"

Hailstep couldn't quite meet his gaze. "Sometimes," he replied truthfully. "But not usually."

Volestar cracked the slightest smile. "You will one day. You're already a warrior that RiverClan can be proud of. I think that very soon, you'll be a son that Nightpetal and I will be proud of, too."

 _But not yet._ Hailstep nodded silently, then exited the den with an old weight on his shoulders. It was a weight that Hailstep had tried to get rid of many times in the past; first by training harder than the other apprentices, but after it became clear that his best effort wasn't enough, he tried to forget about it by causing trouble with his friends.

But the weight that came along with being the son of RiverClan's two most respected cats was a heavy one, and not easily discarded. Try as he might, Hailstep had never found the approval he craved in his parents' eyes. Despite Volestar's words, he doubted that he ever would.

"You alright?" Timberfur asked, as he settled down for the ceremony. "You look anxious."

Hailstep glanced at his littermate and for a moment, he thought about asking if Timberfur carried the same weight around with him. But he decided against it; goofy, slightly oblivious Timberfur never seemed to worry about the pressure that had been placed upon their shoulders at birth.

Instead he replied, "I'm fine. Have you heard who all passed their assessments?"

"They all did! Echopaw, Brightpaw, and Pikepaw."

Well, at least Hailstep could somewhat relax now. His plan was still in motion.

Soon Shellheart, Rainflower, and Ottersplash joined them. Ottersplash seemed to have forgiven Timberfur for his crimes (i.e. not realizing that she wanted to be more than friends) and allowed him to speak to her without insults. Shellheart and Rainflowe sat so close together that their pelts touched.

Hailstep hoped that by the end of the day, he could stop being jealous of his friends and focus all of his attention on Echopaw instead.

Volestar emerged from his den and called the Clan together. Those that weren't already gathered around quickly joined the crowd. Hailstep tilted his head and searched for Echopaw's white-tipped, almost mist-like, pelt. He found that she was already sitting in front of Volestar alongside her Denmates.

Volestar performed the traditional words and congratulated the apprentices on passing their warrior assessments, and then began with Brightpaw. After asking if she would defend RiverClan even at the cost of her life, he welcomed her as a warrior and named her Brightsky.

"Pretty name," Rainflower remarked.

Next was Pikepaw. After agreeing to uphold the Warrior Code no matter what, he was welcomed as a warrior and named Piketooth.

"Uh," Rainflower cringed. "That's _not_ a pretty name."

Shimmerpelt, who sat closer to the front, purred loud enough to mask Rainflower's comment. Piketooth shot her a brilliant smile.

 _Echopaw is next._ Time to see if his father trusted him enough to honor his request.

"I, Volestar, leader of RiverClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn."

Volestar looked down at Echopaw. "Echopaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

 _She's nothing like the shy apprentice I accidentally clawed in battle,_ Hailstep realized, as Echopaw met her Clan leader's gaze and confidently answered, "I do."

Volestar noddded. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Echopaw, from this moment on you will be known as Echomist. StarClan honors your grace and dedication, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan."

_He did it! He took my request!_

" _Brightsky_! _Piketooth_! _Echomist_!" The Clan cheered, none louder than Hailstep. Echomist's expression was one of unmaskable joy as her Clanmates congratulate her.

"Perfect name," Rainflower meowed approvingly. "Look at her pelt - it looks like mist!"

 _Perfect,_ Hailstep echoed. _Just perfect._

**If Wishes Were Falling Stars**

He waited for the excitement to die down so that he could speak to Echomist alone. Although he had been humbled by this whole mess he still clung to his sense of pride, and he wasn't willing to let the entire Clan watch if Echomist decided to rip him to shreds.

Finally, when Echomist sat down in a corner of camp and simply watched their Clanmates with a soft smile, Hailstep made his move.

"Can I talk to you?"

The she-cat glanced at him, then returned her gaze to their Clanmates. "Hailstep, I think everything that needs to be said has been. You made yourself clear."

He dark gray tom shook his head. "No! I was wro- I mean, it was a lot to take in and I didn't-"

"Oh," Echomist deadpanned, still not looking at him. "Excuses. Yay."

He moved to stand in front of her. "Echomist, _please_." He pleaded. "Just let me explain, or-or don't! But come with me. I have something to show you."

Those who knew Echomist well knew that she wasn't one to hold a grudge. As he stared at her in desperation, her bright blue eyes slowly began to soften. "Hailstep…"

"Echomist!" A voice called, and Hailstep turned around to see Brightsky and Piketooth. "Come on, it's time to sit vigil!"

Suddenly, it felt like someone kicked him in the gut. _Fox-dung, I forgot about sitting vigil!_

Echomist looked from her friends to Hailstep, then meowed, "We can talk tomorrow, Hailstep. I have to go now." Then she brushed past him.

He watched her go and resisted the urge to call her back. There would be no convincing her to skip her vigil - and besides, it was the custom. She deserved to sit one. On the bright side, she agreed to talk to him.

 _Tomorrow,_ Hailstep thought. He looked up at the twilight sky and heaved a sigh. _I guess I won't be sleeping tonight._

**If Wishes Were Falling Stars**

Well, he'd been wrong before.

As a paw prodded him, Hailstep grunted, "Go away. I was on the dawn patrol _yesterday_."

"You said you had something to show me."

Hailstep's eyes snapped open as he jerked awake. Echomist stood in front of him, obviously tired but openly curious. For a moment, Hailstep felt guilty for dragging her out of camp. "Are you sure you don't want to sleep first?" He asked.

She shook her head. "Once I close my eyes, I'm never waking up again."

"Fair enough," Hailstep meowed, standing to his paws. His plan wouldn't be complete without stars, but if Echomist was willing to give him the time of day, then-

"Wait, what?" Hailstep asked, when he looked at the sky and saw stars. "I thought you were sitting vigil?"

"Lightningcloud came and got us a little early," the new warrior replied. She frowned. "Why? Is that-"

"Perfect," Hailstep breathed. "Come on, we don't have much time!"

As they tore off across the territory, Hailstep replayed an old conversation in his head. " _Duskwater told me about them; it's when a StarClan warrior trips and falls from the Silverpelt, and they have to find their way back. If you're lucky enough to see one, then StarClan will grant you a wish!"_

"Where are we going?" Echomist called.

"It's a surprise!" Hailstep called back. "Don't worry, we're almost there!"

_Duskwater, I hope you're right!_

When the clearing came into sight, Hailstep skidded to a stop. Echomist slowed down behind him. There was a softness in her blue eyes as she approached the two nests. "Oh, Hailstep," she whispered.

"I'm not going to ruin this with words right now," the dark gray tom meowed. "But… will you stargaze with me until the sun comes up? Please?"

Echomist looked at him then, all vulnerable and stuff, and if Hailstep did one wrong thing and hurt her again, he would never forgive himself. "Okay," she whispered. "Just until the sun comes up."

She lay on her back in one nest, and Hailstep laid in the other. The silence between them could be filled with a thousand words, but he kept his jaws shut. Now wasn't the time.

The Silverpelt was rapidly submitting to sunrise. Only a few precious stars remained in the sky. Hailstep's insides were tied in knots.

 _Please StarClan,_ he pleaded. _Just this once…_

Echomist sighed. "Hailstep, falling stars are just a queen's story. This was sweet before… but now it just hurts." Slowly, she stood to her paws. "I don't know what your grand plan was, but I-" Suddenly, she gasped.

Hailstep turned around just in time to see two stars racing each other across the twilight sky. They fell somewhere far, far beyond his reach, like one last blaze of fiery glory; in their wake, a trail of colors that Hailstep never knew existed.

It was magnificent.

"Wow," he uttered, breathless. As the colors faded into the sunrise, Hailstep turned to Echomist. Her head was still tilted to the sky, her silver fur seemed to glow beneath the rising sun, and every magnificent color lit up her eyes.

"You look like a StarClan warrior," Hailstep breathed, without thinking, without warning.

When Echomist lowered her gaze to meet his, his throat tightened. He had rehearsed this moment in his head a thousand times, but now that it was here… now that _she_ was here…

"I'm sorry," Hailstep whispered, like the world around him was delicate and one wrong word could shatter it all. "That day… I was so caught off guard when my friends told me what they heard. I was so oblivious to your feelings for me; I was oblivious to my own feelings. Realizing that I felt the same way as you in the middle of camp, in front of StarClan and everyone, was scary. But I reacted the wrong way, and I said the wrong things."

"I felt like everyone was calling me a liar, and I was so caught up in myself… I didn't even realize that they were right." He held her gaze earnestly. "Because I did love you, then. I didn't know it, but everyone else could see it. You made me forget about living up to my parents' expectations, and you made me feel like I was important, just the way I was. There must have been a reason that for moons, you were the only cat I wanted to be with."

He inhaled a steadying breath. "And I still love you, Echomist. I never stopped. And now, I'm scared that you'll not forgive me, and I'll still never stop." He took a step towards her. "You told me that when a cat sees a falling star, StarClan will grant them a wish. You're my wish, Echomist."

At some point Echomist had dropped her gaze to the ground. Hailstep didn't dare breathe; there was so much more he could tell her, but instead of overwhelming her anymore, he waited for her reaction.

After an eternity, Echomist finally looked up at him. Hailstep's breath hitched in his throat; she gazed at him, awestruck, like he was a falling star.

"Oh, Hailstep," she whispered.

And StarClan granted his wish.

**If Wishes Were Falling Stars**

_Many moons later…_

He had stepped into this den a hundred times before. Never once quite like this.

Slowly, his eyes moved across the cave walls, taking in every single detail that he had never bothered to notice before. The scraps of moss gathered by the entrance; the slight draft in the back corner; the nearly overwhelming scent of the last proud leader of RiverClan.

"Hailstep," a voice called softly. A heartbeat later, a soft pelt pressed against his own. "Are you okay?"

"I have to be, don't I?" He asked, his voice merely a whisper. "For the sake of the Clan."

Echomist leaned her head against his shoulder. "You're going to be a brilliant leader. Your father left RiverClan in very capable paws."

"Do you think he knew that?"

Echomist nudged his chin. He finally looked at her. "You made him proud, love," she whispered. "You've made _everyone_ proud."

Hailstep let his gaze rake over the den again. "How can I ever follow in his pawsteps?" He asked.

"By doing your very best. You're an incredible cat, Hailstep. Your best will be enough."

Almost against his will, the dark gray tom began to relax. Echomist always knew exactly what to say, and even whenever she didn't, the sight of her swollen stomach was enough to make him forget about his troubles.

He turned to her and murmured, "Misty, what did I ever do to deserve a she-cat like you?"

"Misty" smirked at him. "You wished on a falling star."

Hailstep chuckled; she wasn't wrong. He turned around, his back to the den walls, and sat down. In the glow of sunset, his Clanmates paid their respects to Volestar. Soon he would have to journey to Highstones with Brambleberry and receive his nine lives. Both of his parents would be waiting for him there. This time the thought didn't bring him worry; peace had settled around the pair like a blanket of snow. It was a perfect moment.

Suddenly a thought struck him. "Hey, weren't there two falling stars that night?"

Echomist, his perfect mate, sat down beside him. "Mhhm."

Hailstep wrapped his tail around her swollen stomach and asked, "So then, what did _you_ wish for?"

She laid her head on his shoulder and purred quietly. " _This_."

**Author's Note:**

> I posted this in two parts to FFN awhile but and now I'm in the process of posting all of my works here, too. Find me on FFN as KatieK101, or talk to me on Tumblr as KatieK101 <3


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